Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Blind obedience

Does it explain why we
have the least patents granted among the countries in the region? We
know Thomas Aquinas – "the most saintly
of learned men and the most learned of saints”
and “his “Summa” is acclaimed as Christian
doctrine in scientific
form” [The Catholic Encyclopedia] – yet we would concede to
being fatalistic in more ways than one? And not surprisingly Fr.
Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P. reminds us that “hope takes work”!
[11th Aug 2012, Manila Bulletin]

Why do patents matter?
Because it means that we can create things of value. Value creation
is an imperative if we are to become a broad-based (inclusive,
as we like to say it) and a competitive developed economy; that is to
say, we need more than CCT, more than the low-hanging fruit that
we’ve relied on for decades like OFW remittances and more than a
consumption economy that we’re proud about. But if our starting
position or mindset is one of fatalism, even a generation may not
suffice to elevate us to developed-economy status? Because the status
quo is akin to: "see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil"?
And it is how, unwittingly, we nurture corruption – especially
absent the commitment to the common good?

We recognize that
education is thus key if we are to be an economy driven by value
creation. And thankfully we are actively addressing our education
challenges – and putting our money (via the education budget) where
our mouth is!Yet beyond K+12 and the use of the native
tongue, our institutions of higher learning “must
… be hospitable to an infinite variety of skills and viewpoints,
relying upon open competition among them as the surest safeguard of
truth. Its whole spirit requires investigation, criticism, and
presentation of ideas in an atmosphere of freedom and mutual
confidence. This is the real meaning of ‘academic’ freedom.”
[March, 1953, Association of American Universities] And from Fr.
Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J., Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2nd Sept 2012,
quoting Pope John Paul II: “No university can rightfully deserve
the esteem of the world of higher learning unless it applies the
highest standards of scientific research, constantly updating the
methods and working instruments, and unless it excels in seriousness,
and therefore in freedom of investigation.”

The path of least
resistance can’t be informing our worldview, precisely why our
elders counseled us about Juan Tamad? We can’t face the world from
a position of weakness? ["The country either landed at the
bottom half of the 10-member Asean or found its performance slipping
in most indicators," Philippine Daily Inquirer, 12th Sept 2012.]
And we can’t be protected by the skirts of hierarchy and privilege
and inadvertently perpetuate a system of oligarchy – and the
lopsided economy that we’ve accepted and been resigned to?

For change to occur,
social scientists postulate that knowledge must come down from the
head to the heart and to the gut. We have been addressing many of our
shortcomings from an intellectual standpoint – e.g., our global
rankings in competitiveness and governance, among others. But for,
say, corruption to be arrested, we must believe in our hearts that
it’s a no-no. We can’t keep invoking compassion. A red light
means stop! Those who support the former CJ are now calling for
compassion thus taking the imperative of restitution for granted –
the converse of what we learned in the Sacrament of Penance? We can’t
be back to square-one. We can’t come ever close to establishing the
rule of law and transparency and speed and predictability that the US
ambassador talks about – to be an attractive haven for foreign
investors – until we challenge our “paki culture”? Or have
the privileges that come with our rank undercut the
character-building our elders like Sergio Osmeña
demonstrated?
[http://philippinesfreepress.wordpress.com/1986/02/02/the-conscience-of-the-filipino-the-exemplar/]

We can’t be undermining
– through misplaced compassion – the foundations of civilized
human institutions if we are to create a broad-based, inclusive and a
competitive developed economy driven by value creation: starting with
a commitment to investment that is directed to technology and
innovation and education or talent and product and market
development!

Genesis of this Blog

Now a book

Advocacy

About Me

I started writing to columnists and newspaper editors at the end of a trip to the Philippines over Holy Week in 2008 – to echo the frustrations expressed by friends and relations that were much louder and more intense than prior trips. My first thought was: with so much talents and skills how could the country be the basket case of Asia? Are we simply too nice as a people? Since then I have kept abreast with local news and opinions.
I have been a business consultant (since 2003) focused on Eastern Europe. My principal client in Bulgaria, a consumer-products maker, was chosen by the European Business Awards in 2011 as among Europe’s best from the 15,000 companies vetted for the selection. I started my career in 1968 in human resources in the Philippines. I then joined a Fortune 500 company in 1981, working with its Manila subsidiary for seven years and later moved up to its Asian regional headquarters and finally assumed a global responsibility (in global strategy, organization and business competitiveness) until my retirement. I have likewise done consulting work in the Philippines. I live with my family in Stamford, Connecticut, USA.